Elections 2019

Opinion

Barmak Tells MPs Taliban Are Unable To Hold On To Districts

Responding to the minister’s remarks, MPs disagreed and said the group controls a number of districts.

Minister of Interior Wais Ahmad Barmak on Wednesday said government forces have successfully foiled over 2,500 attacks in the past 11 weeks across the country.

“Your security and defense forces have foiled over 2,500 attacks plotted by the insurgents since the start of the month of Hamal (21 March),” said Barmak.

Speaking before the lawmakers in the Lower House of Parliament on Wednesday, Barmak also said the Taliban does not have the capacity to hold on to districts they seize.

This comes a week after a group of insurgents launched an attack on the interior ministry’s building in Kabul, killing at least one police force member and wounding six others.

After the attack, the ministry’s spokesman Najib Danish blamed Pakistan-based Haqqani network for the incident. However, Daesh claimed responsibility and said in a statement that the attackers had been their fighters.

Barmak meanwhile said on Wednesday that the main perpetrators behind the attack have not yet been identified.

Barmak confirmed that the attackers stormed the ministry using new tactics and that they had been well trained.

“Two tankers from the ministry of interior stopped in front of them, when these vehicles stopped there, they (insurgents) lost the opportunity to enter the ministry of interior, then from the ten insurgents, nine of them started moving very professionally like commandos as they were highly trained,” said Barmak.

He said however that the Afghan National Police (ANP) was facing a shortage of equipment.

In retaliation to Barmak’s assertions, MPs said that the Taliban control several districts in the country and that the security forces have not been able to retake them.

“When a district is seized, then the morale of the military personnel and the civilians also collapses,” said Iqbal Safai, MP.

“Posts and positions are not important to us, people’s lives are important to us,” said MP Allah Gul Mujahid.

The minister of defense Tariq Shah Bahrami and the head of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) Masoom Stanekzai were also expected to appear in parliament. But the two officials did not attend the session which sparked a strong reaction among legislators.

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Minister of Interior Wais Ahmad Barmak on Wednesday said government forces have successfully foiled over 2,500 attacks in the past 11 weeks across the country.

“Your security and defense forces have foiled over 2,500 attacks plotted by the insurgents since the start of the month of Hamal (21 March),” said Barmak.

Speaking before the lawmakers in the Lower House of Parliament on Wednesday, Barmak also said the Taliban does not have the capacity to hold on to districts they seize.

This comes a week after a group of insurgents launched an attack on the interior ministry’s building in Kabul, killing at least one police force member and wounding six others.

After the attack, the ministry’s spokesman Najib Danish blamed Pakistan-based Haqqani network for the incident. However, Daesh claimed responsibility and said in a statement that the attackers had been their fighters.

Barmak meanwhile said on Wednesday that the main perpetrators behind the attack have not yet been identified.

Barmak confirmed that the attackers stormed the ministry using new tactics and that they had been well trained.

“Two tankers from the ministry of interior stopped in front of them, when these vehicles stopped there, they (insurgents) lost the opportunity to enter the ministry of interior, then from the ten insurgents, nine of them started moving very professionally like commandos as they were highly trained,” said Barmak.

He said however that the Afghan National Police (ANP) was facing a shortage of equipment.

In retaliation to Barmak’s assertions, MPs said that the Taliban control several districts in the country and that the security forces have not been able to retake them.

“When a district is seized, then the morale of the military personnel and the civilians also collapses,” said Iqbal Safai, MP.

“Posts and positions are not important to us, people’s lives are important to us,” said MP Allah Gul Mujahid.

The minister of defense Tariq Shah Bahrami and the head of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) Masoom Stanekzai were also expected to appear in parliament. But the two officials did not attend the session which sparked a strong reaction among legislators.